2015 Mini Cooper S 3-Door Road Test Review

2015 Mini Cooper S 3-Door Road Test Review

By: Trevor Hofmann

2015-02-13

To call the outgoing Bini (BMW/MINI) a classic might infuriate collectors of the original BMC-built Mini, so at the risk of angering

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

throngs of elderly flat-cap coiffed Brits, not to mention Mr. Bean and Basil Fawlty, maybe we can get away with calling it a modern-day classic. After all, except for a moderate redesign in 2006 for the 2007 model year the reimagined Mini has been tearing up our roads for close to 15 years.

For the 2014 model year this modern-day classic was reborn with a more enthusiastic look on its adorable face, as well as considerably more size all-round. Put the old and new side-by-side and you’ll immediately see that this third-generation Cooper 3-Door is quite a bit longer, 114 millimetres (4.5 inches) to be exact, and that’s only when compared to the second-generation car that was 68 mm (2.7 inches) longer than the original 2001 through 2006 Bini it replaced. Yes, the Mini isn’t so mini anymore with 183 mm (7.2 inches) of nose to tail expansion since

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

inception; the new car now measuring 3,837 mm (151.1 inches) from its big gaping grille to its well endowed taillights. It’s all about practicalities, the extra length up front said to improve pedestrian protection in case of a crosswalk accident, while its 28-mm (1.1-inch) growth between axles allows for a lot more room inside, benefiting both occupants and their gear, the latter area gaining a very useful 36.8 litres (1.3 cubic feet) of stowage space for a total of 246 litres (8.7 cubic feet) behind the 60/40-split rear seatbacks and 1,076 litres (38 cubic feet) when folded down. Lastly, its 43-mm (1.7-inch) wider front track and 33-mm (1.3-inch) wider rear track underpins a wider body that makes for better hip and shoulder room while also aiding handling.

The

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

big oddity here is that Mini managed to grow the car dimensionally without adding much weight, the new Cooper 3-Door weighing a mere 32 kilos (70 lbs) more than the old one and the Cooper S 3-Door adding 40 kilograms (88 lbs) to the scales. Its extra width makes up for any weight gain in the corners and newfound length causes it ride smoother over dips and bumps, not to mention feel more stable at higher speeds, so it appears that Mini has engineered an inarguable win-win situation.

Add to this a trio of new and updated engines that deliver considerably more power plus improved fuel economy and the question of whether or not you should upgrade from your old Mini to this new one is irrefutable. Of course there’s the issue of personal finances, but we won’t let that get in the way of considering a new

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

car, right? Those engines include a new direct-injection twin-scroll turbocharged base three-cylinder that almost makes as much twist as the old Cooper S mill at 162 lb-ft of torque, while horsepower is up to 134, while a new 400-cc-larger direct-injection twin-scroll turbocharged 2.0-litre Cooper S four-cylinder now cranks out 8 more horsepower and 26 lb-ft of additional torque for a new total output of 189 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque, the latter number identical to the twist created by the outgoing John Cooper Works model. The new 2016 JCW reportedly puts out 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, and don’t worry as you’ll be able to come back here and read all about it as soon as Mini makes one available for testing.

I may eat my words after taking to the wheel of a new JCW, but right about now I can’t imagine any car being much more fun to live with than the new Cooper S 3-Door.

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

After pushing down on the bright red console-mounted start/stop toggle to ignite the engine, the new Cooper S settles into a smooth and sedate purr, that is until you slide the “SPORT << . >> GREEN” switch to the left. At this point the calm and well-mannered Dr. Jekyll transforms into the burbling and exhaust popping Mr. Hyde, in similitude to the Cooper S that came before. However, where the old car needed to rev high to extract all the performance from its little 1.6-litre four, the new one finds strength all over the rev band while still spinning up to the mid-6k range when called upon. It’s a much more tractable power unit that’s easier to drive at low speeds around town too, while opting for the paddle-shift actuated six-speed automatic is now a credible choice even for enthusiasts as its straight-line and overall acceleration is actually a touch quicker at 6.8 seconds from standstill to 100km/h compared to 6.7 seconds for the manual, although the manual is a hair faster with a top speed of 235 km/h compared

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

to 233. This said I enjoyed my time in a new 2015 Cooper S due to the wonderfully crisp standard six-speed manual that came with it, a transmission that’s ideally suited to the new engine and a pleasure to row through the gears while working its nicely weighted clutch.

Unless you’ve taken a Mini for a real run on a decent road or better yet, a racetrack, it would be difficult to imagine how joyous life can be in the driver’s seat, but suffice to say the new Cooper S takes the fun factor up a notch. It’s easily as capable through the corners as on the straight and narrow, with direct steering that’s wonderfully responsive to turn-in and superb stability no matter the circuit or surface thanks to the aforementioned increase in length and width. Like any front-drive car the Cooper S lets go a tad at the front wheels when pushed hard, inherently understeering in a wholly predictive manner, although unlike

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

most in its class the S can be persuaded into oversteer with just a little coaxing. To say it’s a fun car to drive is a complete and utter understatement. It’s a ruddy hoot! The price for its absolute control over the road is a slightly firmer ride, albeit a more comfortable one than the outgoing S. I certainly never felt harassed by any unpleasant jarring or jostling while riding over uneven tarmac, gaps in the road or other pavement imperfections, the suspension easily soaking up all the ruts and bumps our wayward test road could throw at it.

Part of the new Cooper S’ comfort equation is a much more refined cabin. For only $25,490 plus $2,295 for freight and pre-delivery prep, Mini wraps the A-pillars in the same high-quality woven fabric as the headliner and applies soft touch surfaces

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

to the dash top, to a kneepad under the dash and to the upper half of each door panel for a true premium experience, while all other plastics are coated in a nice textured matte finish. Piano black trim on the doors joined up with a unique glossed checkered pattern on the dash, while my car’s sport seats were upholstered in a gorgeous mix of supple black leathers perforated in a diamond pattern and suede-like Alcantara trimmed side bolsters.

The all-black interior motif matched my test subject’s cool new Thunder Grey exterior paint, a $590 option that’s priced the same as any of the many metallic hues despite being flat. This particular car eschewed the no-cost black or white roof

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

and mirror caps option as well as the $150 Bonnet Stripes upgrade, but wore some stylish optional 18-inch alloys that are dubbed Vanity Spoke (replacing the standard 16s on runflats), increasing the price by $1,430 but also including the $1,250 Essentials Package that made it look better inside and out, the latter getting front and rear fog lamps while the former included heated front seats and a fabulous panoramic glass sunroof overhead.

the road ahead brighter was the $1,050 LED Lights Package that includes white turn signals, LED fog lights, and LED headlights, the latter items upgraded to adaptive headlamps for seeing around corners at night, costing an additional $250, while the interior was inadvertently lit up via the $1,450 Wired Navigation Package that integrates on-board navigation with the Mini Connected Package, both filling the circular central audio panel with one of the best infotainment systems in the industry, replete with a gorgeous high-resolution full-colour display actuated via an iDrive-style rotating dial topped off with a touch-sensitive pad, surrounded by quick access menu buttons. Additionally this package adds Bluetooth streaming audio to the standard hands-free phone connectivity and USB audio.

The

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

roofliner I spoke of before was actually optional as it was done out in Dark Anthracite for an extra $250, while the diamond patterned perforated leather upholstery I mentioned earlier is called Carbon Black Punch Leather, a $1,500 option. All of these goodies added $8,970 to my Mini Cooper S base price for an as-tested $34,460, still a very approachable figure for such a well-equipped little sport-luxury car.

cargo organizers, rear parking sensors, automated parking assist, an alarm system, plenty of wheel and tire combinations, a sport suspension, the automatic gearbox with paddle shifters I mentioned before, a JCW Package that adds most of the John Cooper Works model’s kit except for the engine, and more, but the car provided included more than enough extras to make me feel thoroughly spoiled.

Of course I haven’t covered any standard Cooper S features yet and would be remiss not to as they’re plentiful. The list of items not already mentioned includes a thick leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob, air conditioning, an on-board computer, AM/FM/MP3/WMA audio with auxiliary, USB and Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel controls for phone, audio and cruise (the latter not just an average cruise control system but a premium-type dynamic cruise control setup

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

that maintains a preset distance from the vehicle ahead by automatically braking and accelerating when required), performance control (that helps counteract understeer), heated power mirrors, powered windows and locks with remote access, heated window washer jets, sport seats with driver and front passenger height adjustment, the checkered dash trim I mentioned near the beginning, a Lights Package that shines calming blue LED ambient lighting from the footwells, below the centre stack, inside the interior door handle cutouts, etcetera, and Mini Excitement Lights that enhance the brand’s retro experience with a ’70s disco era theme by making the infotainment system’s surrounding ring glow red when increasing audio volume, red when turning up the temperature or blue when decreasing it, and red when in the aforementioned Sport mode is activated, or alternatively yellow when in default mode or green when, you guessed it, set to Green mode.

Remember

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

that “SPORT << . >> GREEN” switch I commented on previously? These are standard Driving Modes, and sliding it to the right dulls the throttle response, visually promotes early shifting (with the manual – the automatic shifts earlier all on its own), and enacts other fuel saving features to help you get more from each litre of gas. Another impressive eco feature that’s rare in the non-hybrid compact class is an automatic start-stop system that shuts the engine down when it would otherwise be idling, saving yet more fuel. You can shut the start-stop system down altogether if you’d rather listen to the lovely little engine percolate at the stoplight or just want all the mechanicals to be ready for quicker throttle response when things go green (ironically not a very green activity), but for normal driving the start-stop system comes on so quickly you’ll never need to hesitate during takeoff, and it helps to put otherwise wasted pump dollars back into your wallet, not to mention reduce the amount of lung choking particulates going into the surrounding atmosphere.

Personally,

Photo: Karen Tuggay, Canadian Auto Press

I just love the way Mini has improved everything inside the new Cooper while also benefiting everything outside. With new pedestrian safety measures and environmental enhancements, the latter resulting in reduced CO2 emissions of 198 g/km for the manual and 189 for the automatic, even the performance-oriented Cooper S can be considered a fairly green car, especially when factoring in its excellent fuel economy figures that now, under the new Canadian five-cycle rating system, are a claimed 10.0 L/100km in the city, 7.0 on the highway and 8.6 combined with the manual or 9.2 city, 7.0 highway and 8.2 combined with the automatic.